Thursday, September 10, 2009

Where in the world?

I'm back from a trip out west, and the first thing to catch up on is on live music. I popped over to Zaphod's to check out new-ish local band Orienteers, brand-spanking new combo treasure Hunt and not-new-at-all quintet Young Galaxy.

Tom Thomson, steel man about town, and Ben Wilson of The Department of Foreign Affairs, Polytones and That's The Spirit were abetted by DOFA frontman Brennan Pilkington. It's more atmospheric rock. You can check out their album for free courtesy of Antique Room, Ben's label.

Orienteers at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Orienteers, Zaphod Beeblebrox, September 9, 2009

Treasure Hunt is a rhythm section supergroup featuring drummers Arlen Thompson of Wolf Parade and Loel Campbell of Wintersleep (and sometimes Holy Fuck) with bassist Mike Bigelow (also of Wintersleep, Holy Fuck, Contrived) and Dustin Hawthorne of Hot Hot Heat. This was their first show and they made a pretty good impression for a band that's been together onmly a very short while (and will be going on hiatus in a couple of months when Wintersleep and Wolf Parade gear up for album-making duties).

Treasure Hunt at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Treasure Hunt, Zaphod Beeblebrox, September 9, 2009

Young Galaxy finished the night off. In my mind they're inextricably linked with The Besnard Lakes, but since I last saw the two bands perform together the Galactic ones seem to have inched toward pop and away from the psychedelic, though you wouldn't know it from their light show. I still hate smoke, but since they brought lasers I forgive them. When I first glimpsed them heading toward the stage I thought they'd adopted Sunn0))) style monks' robes, but it just turned out to be hoodies. Oh well. on the brighter side Catherine McCandless is really stepping up as a lead vocalist.

Young Galaxy at Zaphod Beeblebrox
Young Galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox, September 9, 2009

They say they'll be back in November.
  • Show reminder: Guttermouth, The Real Deal and The PG-13s rock Mavericks, You, Yourself and I, The City Above and Thunderuncle perform at Zaphod's. Big Dave McLean and Doc MacLean share a stage at The Rainbow.

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